A staggering 55,910 Nigerians have been killed, and 21,000 others abducted by terror groups between 2019 and 2023, according to a report by The Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa, ORFA.

The report, released on Thursday, blamed extremist groups, including Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed herders, for these atrocities.

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ORFA’s data revealed that Christians were disproportionately affected, experiencing 2.7 times more killings and 5.1 times more abductions than Muslims. Land-based community attacks accounted for 81% of civilian killings.

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The study also found that armed herders killed at least 42% of civilians, while Boko Haram and ISWAP combined killed 10%. Kidnappings escalated, with 7,705 people abducted in 2022, and Christians were 1.4 times more likely to be abducted.

‘Islamist extremists enjoy relative freedom’

Frans Vierhout, ORFA’s data scientist, noted that the numbers are alarming.

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According to him, the consistent increase in abductions and killings over the years indicates a worsening security situation.

He said, “Millions of people are left undefended. For years, we’ve heard of calls for help being ignored as terrorists attack vulnerable communities.

“Mass killings, abductions, and torture of whole families go largely unchallenged as the military pursue targets hundreds of miles away. Islamist extremists enjoy relative freedom to carry out atrocities against civilians in large regions of Nigeria.

“Across the country, over 11,000 incidents of extreme violence took place during the data period, with more than 55,910 killings and 21,000 abductions.

The little-known armed herders killed at least 42% of all civilians, while Boko Haram and ISWAP combined killed 10%.

“In the North Central zone alone, 3,007 incidents of extreme violence occurred. Of these, 2,010 involved killings, 700 were abductions, and 297 were a combination of killings and abductions.”

In the same vein, Rev. Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam, an ORFA partner and analyst, emphasized the need for government action.

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He insisted that the government must prioritize civilian protection and address the root causes of the displacement crisis. He stressed that the current security operations focusing on the North-East and North-West leave North-Central and Southern Kaduna vulnerable.

Para-Mallam said, “Nigeria’s government must prioritize civilian protection and address the root causes of the displacement crisis.

“Armed herders are targeting Christian populations, while Muslims also suffer severely at their hands. Kidnappers work to Islamist goals. Where young women are kidnapped, tortured, and sexually violated, hope for a normal married life and family may vanish.”

ORFA urged the international community to examine the data and understand Nigeria’s challenges.